Follower for file drawers



Jan. 11, 1944.. H. w. BRADNER 2333,398

FOLLOWER FOR FILE DRAWERS Filed Dec. 21, 1942 n I I INVENT OR.

H/s ATKOeA/ZK Patented Jan. 11, 1944 FOLLOWER FOR FILE DRAWERS Harry W. Bradner, Chicago, 111., assignor to Boynt'on 8; Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 21, 1942, Serial No. 469,643

Claims.

This invention relates to a follower for filing drawers and has as its principal object the provision of a follower which will be simple in construction, economical in manufacture and highly efficient in use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a follower block which will coact with a roller rod to wedge the follower in a fixed condition in a filing drawer.

A further object of this invention is to provide a follower block with a camming surface which provides a recess within which a locking rod will be confined to maintain the follower block and locking rod in an operating relationship with respect to each other.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a follower block which will cooperate with guiding means in a drawer structure and a recessed lower wall on the follower block for retaining a locking rod adjacent the drawer bottom to wedgingly engage the follower block in fixed relation with respect to the guiding means.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a follower block which will rigidly support cards in a filing cabinet to assure a uniformity of pressure on all cards so supported.

Other objects will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a filing drawer with my new follower structure associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary Vertical sectional detail view through the follower as seen along line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional detail through the filing drawer showing my follower in vertical sectional detail as seen from line 3-3 in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the follower structure as seen from line 44 in Fig. 3.

As shown in the drawing my new follower is adapted for use with the conventional drawer H] having the usual parallel sides H and I2 joined at their ends by a drawer front I3 and an end wall I4 having a hand hold l5 formed therein wherewith the drawer may be gripped and moved about from place to place. This drawer further includes a bottom [6 and has at its sides a guiding means I! in the form of parallel channels which in the case of wooden drawers are usually provided, as shown, by rabbeting the inside face of the side walls H and I2 a slight distance above the bottom Hi.

My new follower is generally indicated at I8 and comprises a vertical bearing plate l9 which is adapted to bear against the rearrnost piece of the plurality of pieces 20 arranged within the drawer Hi. This bearing plate l9 has a block 2| formed integrally therewith and extending rearwardly therefrom in a direction away from the pieces 20 supported in the file drawer. This block 2! is formed into two symmetrical portions each adjacent the respective outer ends of the bearing plate l9 so as to provide a space 22 at a central area of the follower for reasons presently to become apparent.

The follower block 2| has a pair of projecting lugs 23 extending beyond the end face of the block proper and into the guiding means I! formed in the respective side walls of the drawer Ill. The follower with its projecting lugs 23 disposed in the guide means I7 is free to move longitudinally in the drawer l0.

Means for locking the follower in a desired position in the drawer l0 comprises a locking dowel or rod 2 which cooperates with a camming surface 25 formed on the underside of the block 2| to cam the block 2! upwardly under certain conditions. This camming surface 25 in conjunction with an abutting surface 26 comprises a recess 2'! in the bottom face of the block 21 which recess 21, when the follower I8 is posi tioned in the drawer Ill coacts with the bottom I6 of the drawer to confine the locking dowel 24 in juxtaposition with respect to the block 2|. By reason of the circular cross section of the rod 24 the latter is rotatable on the bottom wall of the drawer and is adapted to rotate into wedging engagement with the camming surface 25.

As seen in the drawing the lower edge of the bearing plate 59 is cut away at the central area 22 wherein a person may insert his fingers as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to manipulate the looking dowel 2 As illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 a persons fingers pressing the rod 24 forwardly in the drawer causes the rod 24 to engage the camming surface 25 to elevate the follower I8 and causes the block 2| to be fulcrumed about its trailing edge 28 which rests on the bottom 16 of the drawer. The elevation of the follower l8 raises the projecting lug 23 into frictional engagement with the upper flanges of the respective guide means ll thus wedging the follower l8 in a fixed position against the pieces 20 supported in the drawer.

The tendency of the tightly bound pieces 20 to expand displaces a uniform pressure back upon the bearing plate IS in such a. manner to urge the camming surface 25 into further engagement with the locking rod 24 which by reason of its rotatability with respect to the bottom wall of the drawer and the camming surface thereby assures that the follower 18 will bind all the harder and hold fast in the position in which it has been set.

To release the locking means on the follower IS the fingers are inserted to the fore of the locking dowel 24 (right in Fig. 2) and with the thumb against the upper edge of the bearing plate l9 (Fig. 1) the follower is urged counterclockwise about the trailing edge 28 while a slight back hand pressure is exerted by the finger tips to urge the locking dowel out of engagement with the camming surface 25. The dowel 24 is restrained against removal from within the recess of the block 2! by the abutting face 26 and the follower I8 is now free to again move longitudinally of the drawer Ii) with the rod 24 rolling within the recess 21.

As will be noted in Fig. 3 there is sufficient clearance at each side of the follower so that the follower may be swung diagonally with respect to the drawer It to remove or insert (as the case may be) the projecting lugs 23 with respect to the guide means I! and thereby accomplish ease of assembly of the follower in the drawer.

It is particularly significant to note that the projecting lugs 23 provide a uniform fiat surface which bears against the underside of the top flange of the guide means I! thus providing sufficient bearing surface to overcome undue wear between theseengaging parts. The looking rod 2 on the other hand has uniform bearing on both the bottom it of the drawer as well as the camming surface.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a follower for a filing drawer having parallel guiding means on the side walls thereof, said follower comprising a base member having a vertical face adapted to bear against pieces disposed in the drawer, means on said base member engaging the guiding means, there being a recess formed in the bottom surface of the base member with one wall of the recess providing a camming surface, and a rot table member movable on the bottom wall of the drawer within the recess and adapted to coact with said camming suriace to wedge the aforesaid means, on said base member, in the guiding means to retain the follower in fixed position within the drawer.

2.111 a follower for a filing drawer having parallel guiding means on the side walls thereof, said follower comprising a base member having a vertical face adapted to bear against pieces disposed in the drawer, means on said base member engaging the guiding means, there being a recess formed in the bottom surface of the base member with one wall of the recess providing a camming surface, and a rotatable member movable on the bottom wall of the drawer within the recess and adapted to coact with said camming surface to wedge the foresaid means, on said base member, in the guiding means to retain the follower in fixed position within the drawer, said base member cut away in its central area and in communication with the recess to permit access to said locking member.

3. In a follower for a filing drawer having parallel side walls with guiding channels formed therein, said follower comprising a block adapted to move longitudinally within the drawer and having a vertical front face disposed to bear against pieces arranged within the drawer, said block having projecting lugs arranged in the guiding channels, and having a recess formed in its lower face with one wall of the recess providing a camming surface, and a rod rollable within the recess for movement on the bottom wall of the drawer to coact with said camming surface to wedge said projecting lugs into frictional engagement with a wall of the guiding channels to retain said follower in a fixed position within the drawer.

4. In a follower for a filing drawer having parallel side walls with guiding channels formed therein, said follower comprising a block adapted to move longitudinally within the drawer and having a vertical front face disposed to bear against pieces arranged within the drawer, said block having projecting lugs arranged in the guiding channels, and having a recess formed in its lower face with one wall of the recess providing a camming surface, and a rod rollable within the recess for movement on the bottom wall of the drawer to coact with said camming surface to wedge said projecting lugs into frictional engagement with a wall of the guiding channels to retain said follower in a fixed position within the drawer, said block being cut away at its mid-portion to permit access to the recess and said rod to permit manipulation of the latter.

5. In a, follower for a filing drawer in which the drawer is provided with guiding means, said follower comprising a base member engageable with the bottom wall of the drawer and. having lateral trunnions slidably engaging the guiding means, said base member having a cut out portion providing together with the bottom wall of the drawer, a closed recess, a wall of which provides a camming surface, a dowel within the recess and movable on the bottom wall of the drawer and adapted to coact with said camming surface to wedge the trunnions in said guiding means to hold said follower in a desired position within the drawer.

6. In a. follower for a filing drawer in which the drawer is provided with guiding means, said follower comprising a base member engageable with the bottom wall of the drawer and having lateral trunnions slidably engaging the guiding means, said base member having a cut out portion providing, together with the bottom wall of the drawer, a closed recess, a wall of which provides a camming surface, a. dowel within the recess and movable on the bottom wall of the drawer and adaptedto coact with said camming surface to wedge the trunnions in said guiding means to hold said follower in a desired position within the drawer, said base member having a medial portion thereof removed to expose the dowel for manual operation.

7. In a follower for a filing drawer in which the side walls of the drawer are provided with guiding means parallel to the bottom wall of the drawer, said follower comprising a base member movable over the bottom wall of the drawer and having lateral projections extending into the guiding means for sliding movement relative thereto, said base member being provided on its bottom wall with a camming surface terminating at the forward wall of the base member and an abutting surface terminating at the trailing edge of said base member, and providing together with the bottom wall of the drawer, a closed recess, a rod rollable on the bottom wall of the drawer and disposed in the recess and adapted to rollably engage said camming surface and pivot said base member about its trailing edge and elevate said lateral projections against the guiding means to bind said follower in a desired position within the drawer.

8. In a follower for a filing drawer in which the side walls of the drawer are provided with guiding means parallel to the bottom wall of the drawer, said follower comprising a base member movable over the bottom wall of the drawer and having lateral projections extending into the guiding means for sliding movement therein, said base member being provided on its bottom wall with a camming surface terminating at the forward wall of the base member and an abutting surface terminating at the trailing edge of said base member, and providing together with the bottom wall of the drawer, a closed recess, a rod rollable on the bottom wall of the drawer and disposed in the recess and adapted to reliably engage said camming surface and pivot said base member about its trailing edge and elevate said lateral projections against the guiding means to bind said follower in a desired position within the drawer, said base member having its central portion cut away to communicate with the recess and expose the mid section of said rod for manipulation toward and away from said camming surface.

9. In a follower for a filing drawer having guidcamming surface formed in the bottom wall of said block and extending from the lower edge of said vertical front face to a point in the mid region of said block, an abutting surface formed in the bottom wall of said block and extending from the trailing edge of said block to a point of convergence with said camming surface, said camming and abutting surfaces coacting with the bottom wall of the drawer to form an inclosure, and a rollable member disposed in the inclosure so formed and adapted to rollingly engage said camming surface to wedge the aforesaid means on said block into frictional engagement with a wall of the guiding means to maintain said follower in a fixed position relative to the drawer.

10. In a follower for a filing drawer having guiding means formed in the side walls thereof and parallel to the bottom wall thereof, said follower comprising a block having a vertical front face adapted to bear against pieces disposed in the drawer, means on said block engaging the guiding means, said block being cut away at its central area to provide two symmetrical end portions, a camming surface formed in the bottom wall of said block and extending from the lower edge of said Vertical front face to a point in the mid region of said block, an abutting surface formed in the bottom wall of said block and extending from the trailing edge of said block to a point of convergence with said camming surface, said camming and abutting surfaces coacting with the bottom wall of the drawer to form an inclosure, and a rollable member disposed in the inclosure so formed and adapted to rollingly engage said camming surface to rotate said block about its trailing edge and urge the aforesaid means on said block into frictional engagement with the guiding means to bind said follower in a fixed position Within the drawer.

HARRY W. BRADNER. 

